Cash for renting your car, trend growing in Hawaii

A growing number of people in Hawaii are renting their personal property to total strangers. New websites have been made specifically to help people rent things like bikes, tools, even their own yards to campers. One of the most popular type of rentals is personal cars but it's also the likeliest to get you in trouble with the law if you're not following the rules.

Thomas Tindale's been earning extra cash by renting his own car in Hawaii.

"In Hawaii it's been successful, consistent rentals for about six months," said Tindale, a Kalihi resident.

Tindale used to rent out his Jaguar but has since bought a Nissan Titan.

"People call me crazy but I haven't had any bad experiences," said Tindale.

We'll take his word for it, but is this legal? State law has it's regulations for the rental car industry.

"Under that law a lessor is defined as any person in the business of providing rental motor vehicles to the public," said Bruce B. Kim, executive director of the State of Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection."

The law requires rental companies to give a copy of the rental contract to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, have commercial insurance coverage, and comply with the rules and regulations of the Department of Transportation, which includes paying fees to the state.

Luckily for Thomas, he rent's his car through a site called RelayRides.com who's spokesperson says the company complies with Hawaii's laws. A quick search on RelayRides.com shows many more Hawaii cars listed online. It's a site aimed at making the rental experience cheaper and easier.

"The most satisfying part is helping people out. They get a good deal and it's also good to earn a little cash on the side," said Tindale.

But other car rental postings might not be up to code so experts say be careful.

"These are people operating on Craigslist and you're giving them your Social Security number, your drivers license number, your insurance policy number, personal financial information. It's again something you should be very cautious of," said Kim.

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Creative...quick... and perhaps a little crazy. A growing number of people in Hawaii are renting their personal property to total strangers. KITV4's Brenton Awa joins us live in the newsroom with how it works. Brenton? Yunji -- There's a bunch of relatively new websites popping up made specifically for renting items... Then there's the old Craigslist... Both places have people listing things from bikes -- to tools -- even renting out their own yards to campers. But the most popular type of rental is personal cars -- it's also the likeliest to get you in trouble with the law if your not following the rules. NATPOP "closing hood." Thomas Tindale's been earning extra cash... NATPOP "opening truck door." ...by renting his own car. 5225 "IN HAWAII IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL, CONSISTENT RENTALS FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS." And not just any car ...Tindale rents out his JAG. PEOPLE CALL ME CRAZY. BUT I HAVE REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCES Good? We'll take his word for it...But is it legal? State law has it's regulations for the rental car industry. 5351 "UNDER THAT LAW A LESSOR IS DEFINED AS ANY PERSON IN THE BUSINESS OF PROVIDING RENTAL MOTOR VEHICLES TO THE PUBLIC. The law requires rental companies to give a copy of the rental contract to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs ... ...have commercial insurance coverage... ...and comply with the rules and regulations of the Department of Transportation -- which includes paying fees to the state. Luckily for Thomas -- he rent's his car through a site called RelayRides who's spokesperson says the company complies with Hawaii's laws. NATS "keyboard typing." A quick search on RelayRides shows many more Hawaii cars listed online. It's a site aimed at making the rental experience cheaper and easier. 5448 "THE MOST SATISFYING PART IS HELPING PEOPLE OUT. THEY GET A GOOD DEAL AND IT'S ALSO GOOD TO EARN A LITTLE CASH ON THE SIDE." But other car rental postings might not be up to code... So experts say be careful. 5750 "THESE ARE PEOPLE OPERATING ON CRAIGSLIST AND YOU'RE GIVING THEM YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER YOUR DRIVERS LICENSE NUMBER, YOUR INSURANCE POLICY NUMBER, PERSONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION. ITS AGAIN SOMETHING YOU SHOULD BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF." RelayRides says it works with the DMV and screens all of it's renters before giving them approval to use the site. Meanwhile -- we're told the DCCA is already investigating cases of people renting out their cars illegally. It's been 1 swell after the other along north